The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-12-08

befo', you, and here it stands doing more
and better work and still capable of great
er results in every particular, than the
new press standing beside it, which cost
$22 900 and which was purchased upon
the written statement of the eX-public
printer that it was necessary. The new
press never met the requirements of the
contract, has been less efficient in work
manship and speed than this, the old one,
which, it is said, was offered for sale for
81, 800, and which would now bring in any
market probably Sl2, 900, and is worth
more than the new one, which cost $22,-
900. We have secured t. Ms of thousands
of dollars worth of good machinery in
this way this year.
Just after coming into office tho fore
man of the stereotype room sent up
reqUlsiti0n for $1,000 pounds of stereotype
metal. | sent for the foreman to come to
my room.
''You need stereotype metal l asked;
lis there none in the buildlng?' ''Only
a little but what has been used' he said
Where are the old plates2" | inquired
"Oh, we never melt them over he said;
Eve keep them"
l Investigated more particularly and
was astOnished to find out that it was the
policy OF the office never to remelt the
stereotype plates, as is done IN all private
printing Offices | wrote to the depart
mentS about the works thus preserved
ascertained that not one in 100 would
ever be needed again, and ordered all
plates not requested to be thrown out for
melting. So have no stereotype metal
and need none, and shall want none If
stay here years. During the two years
prior to my coming some S2o, 900 worth
OF stereotype metal was bought; since that
time | have bought none, but am using
old plates, Of which the cellars are full
The contract price for stereotype metal
had been, on an average, before | came,
one and half cents per pound above the
regular open market price, and an inferior
metal was received, while tons of old
plates We're lying in the vaults worthless
for any purpose except for remeltng'
II have before me-" continued Mr.
Benedict, "a statement of The expenditures
of this office during the fiscal year ending
June 80 last While l took possession on
Sept, 13 Of last year, there was no change
III the force or methods of the office until
Oct. /. Practically speaking only four
months supervision of the Office during
the pat fiscal year was according to my
own methods and management. 1t should
be observed that purchases under contract
We're made, in nearly every case, under
contracts made by my predecessor, many
OF which We're 1t Rates from 10 per cent
10 30 per cent higher than the same arti-
Gle could be pu chased in open market
The force Of operatives has been reduc-
od from an average OF J, 400 at the time
of my taking the Office. to an average of
1850 during the past six months. This
smaller force Was paid in wages during
July, August and September past about
$40. 900 more than was paid in wages dur
ing the short term Of Congress in 1885,
and my force Is now earning the largest
average wages ever earned in the office
During the pat nscal year there was
affected a saving of S31, 755 Al in rniscel-
laneous purchases, and $40, As. % in litho-
graphing and engraving, Savings We're
made IL numerous other directions
amounting to tens of thousands of dollars,
notwithstanding increased work required
by Congressional action, an! the obliga-
ton of contract prices above current
market prices. The increased work of the
Office during the last year was performed
at about 800, 900 less cost than the work
Of the fiscal year previous.
To explain the savings, and give an ac-
count III detail would be a long story.
In general, it may be stated that ali pur-
ohases outside Of contracts We're made
from 10 to 10 per cent cheaper than here
tofOre, and a much larger result in work
produced. For the first time in the his
tory of this Office, all trade discounts are
credited IN the bill of purchases made,
and where straight prices We're paid here
tofore. now discounts of p to 40 per cent
are allowed on important purchases
Another saving has been effected in the
purchase Of ink. During the fiscal year
ending June, 1885, the price Of ink ranged
| from 80 cents to 95 cents per pound, and
81 ,3sa.20 was paid for ink. Ninety per
cent of my ink purchases were made at
less than 30 cents per pound, and the total
cost of ink for the year was S5, 5,226.91,
| which sum includes the cost of purchases
of over 900 pounds of ink by my prede-
ces,or during the first three months of the
fiscal year, for which he paid 40 cents to
81 per pound.
The same is true of roller composition
In 1884, II, 500 pounds of roller compost
ton at 45 cents, cost sc, ,255. During the
past year but 7,715 pounds of composition
was used, costing -, S1S, of which amount
my predecessor purchased 2,1O5 pounds,
at As cents per pound, while the remain
der was purchased by ne at prices ranging
from 90 cents to % cents per pound.
| These savings have not been effected by
the introduction of inferior material, but
by the use of far better quality Of mate
rial, the use of which shows that one half
or the amount heretofore uSeU produces
more and better work.
Aside from these effective results in the
work accomplished and the savings through
purchases, | have increased the savings
from tie gold sweepings in the bindery
from about 81, 900 yearly to about 5000
per year. The waste brass, copper, stere-
otype metal and paper, | sell for more
than twice much as they ever brought
before, netting tens of thousands of dol
lars saving to the treasury"
Another remarkable statement was given
me by Mr.. Benedict, the proofs of which
he can show me if will spend some morn
ing at the Government printing office
when | have the time to devote to the in
vesti cation. He says that during the Re
publican Administration of the office,
number Of Senators and members ordered
DEAD HEAD work to be done for themselves
amounting to thousands of dollars One
Republican Senator had 100 books rebound
for his private library in the handsomes
style, calling for costly material, such a:
the Public Printer could not purchase un
der the law. Another had investigation:
made, for his private use, by employees il
the office, which would have cost min
thousands Of dollars if he had honestl,
hired his own clerks. He said that othe
!, congressman who were in business a
their homes, had their business circular
and posters printed at the Government
Printing Office, at the expense of the pub
| lie | shall accept Mr. Benedct'S invita-